Sectional dress-form.



O. A. UFFORD. SEGTIONAL DRESS FORM. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1 1911.RENEWED SEPT.9,1914. 1,1 19,476. Patented Dec. 1,1914.

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SEGTIONAL DRESS FORM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1911. RENEWED SEPT a, 1014.

1, 1 19,47 6. Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

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SEOTIONAL DRESS FORM. 1 11101111611 FILED AUG. 1, 1911. RENEWED arm. 9,11114.

1, 1 1 9,476. Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

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WWI/L17") Z' HE NORRIS PETERS c0 PHUIOLITHU wAsuwuruN. I) 1;

CHARLES A. UFFORD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SECTIONAL DRESS-FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

Application filed August 1, 1911, Serial No. 641,737. Renewed September9.1914. Serial No. 860,952.

1 '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Urrono, acitizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suflolk,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in SectionalDress-Forms, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawingrepresenting like parts.

This invention relates to dress forms and has for its general object toprovide a dress form of this nature which can be readily adjusted todifferent sizes and shapes and which when adjusted will be perfectlyrigid and will properly maintain its shape.

More specifically the objects of the invention are to provide a novelconnection be tween the various adjustable parts; to provide a waistconnection which permits the waist of the form to be enlarged orcontracted without throwing the other parts of the form out ofproportion; to provide means whereby the front of the form may be thrownout to make a full-chested form or the back may be thrown out to give amore rounded shape to the back; to provide a novel clamping device atthe neck of the form by means of which the shoulders and neck may beraised and lowered without changing the shape or size of the neck; toprovide a novel adjustable connection for the base of the form at thehips which will hold the sections in roper position as they are adjustedinward y and outwardly; and to provide a novel arm connection by meansof which the arm can be readily brought into different positions andheld therein, and otherwise to improve the form, all as more fullyhereinafter described and then pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated one embodimentof my invention, Figure 1 is an interior view of the front half of thewaist section of the form; Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of thewaist form taken on a plane from front to rear; Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional view of the neck-clamping mechanism; Fig. 4 is a horizontalsection on the line m m, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section on the line z 3Fig. 2 with parts broken out; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the waistsection; Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the arm connection; Fig. 8is a side view with the arm removed;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view through the arm connection; Fig. 10is a detail of the adjustable clamping device on the line bb, Fig. 7;Fig. 11 is a detail of the arm connection; Fig. 12 is a detail of theshoulder plate which supports the arm; Fig 13 shows one form ofconnection at the waist; Fig. 14 is a section on the line a-a, Fig. 5.

The form herein shown is of that familiar type which is divided bothhorizontally and vertically into a lurality of sections. In the presentembodiment the form is shown as divided vertically from side to side tomake front and rear halves, and is also divided vertically from front torear in three different planes, and is further divided horizontallybelow the shoulders and horizontally at the waist. This manner ofdividingthe form provides four neck sections 1 and front and rearshoulder sections 2 and 3 on each side of the form, and also providesthe four bust sections 4, 4, 5, 5, at the front of the form; 4designating the central bust sections and 5 the side bust sections. Thismanner of division further provides the eight hip sections 6. Inaddition to the above division, my improved form is provided with anovel waist portion which will be hereinafter described in detail andwhich enables the waist of the form to be adjusted to different sizeswithout effecting the size of the form at the hips.

The various sections, with exception of the waist sections, areconnected together by slotted plates 7 which are rigidly secured at oneend to certain of the form sections and overlie other sections and areclamped to the other sections by clamping bolts 18, all as shown in myPatent No. 921,184, May 11, 1909.

The form is provided with a central supporting member 9 which ispreferably hollow so that it can be set over a rod extending from astand, andthis supporting memher 9 is provided near its upper end withthe joint 10 so that the section 11 above the joint can be turned intodifferent angular positions thereby to throw the neck of the formforward or backward according to the shape desired. The two parts of thehinged joint 10 are clamped into the desired position by means of aclamping screw 110 as will be obvious.

One feature of my invention relates to the adjustable connection at theneck. The upper section 11 of the central supporting rod loosely passesthrough a threaded sleeve 13 which has screw-threaded to the upper endthereof a bushing 14 carrying a set screw 15.

,At the lower end of the sleeve 13 is another bushing or collar 16through which the rod 11 loosely passes and screw-threaded on thebushing is a clamping ring or nut 17. The neck sections 1 are providedwith radiallyextending slotted plates 18 at their upper ends as usual inadjustable dress forms, the slots of said plates embracing the sleeve13, and the neck is held in its expanded or contracted positions byclamping these slotted plates 18 between the collar 16 and the nut 17.Since the rod 11 loosely passes through the sleeve 13, however, theclamping of the neck sections in their adjusted positions does notaffect the free movement of the rod 11 through the sleeve 13.

In order to lengthen the waist of the form, the adjustable connectionsat the waist are loosened so as to permit the shoulders of the form tobe drawn up away from the hip sections. This may be readily done as soonas the set screw 15 is loosened and without loosening the clamping nut17, as will be obvious. When the shoulder sections of the form have beenelevated to the proper point, the adjustment will be maintained bysimply tightening the set screw 15.

In the use of which these dress forms are put by dressmakers it isdesirable oftentimes to be able to materially change the shape of theform, both in respect to enlarging and contracting the waist, and inrespect to changing the shape of the back or the bust, so as to make theform present a rounded back or a straight back and full bust. In orderto permit this to be done and to provide for holding the form in anyshape in which it is adjusted, I have provided an interior bracearrangement which extends from the front to the rear of the form andwhich holds the front and back sections in the desired shape. As hereinshown, the central support 9 of the form has mounted thereon a slidingcollar 19 carrying a stud 20 provided with a clamping nut 21. V

22 and 23 are two brace members slotted to slidingly embrace the stud 20and be clamped in position by the nut 21. The brace section 22 isprovided at its end with a laterally-extending foot portion 24: whichoverlies and is clamped to one of the bust sections by the clampingscrew 8 and the brace section 23 is also provided with alaterallyextending foot 25 which is clamped to one of the rear sectionsof the form by one of the clamping nuts 8. Vith this brace it ispossible to throw the front or bust section of the form outwardly to anydesired position and then to firmly clamp it in such position, and thenat the same time to adjust the back sections either backwardly orinhinges 26 make the form more flexible and permit the bust sections tobe thrown out or drawn in without, however, destroying the proper shapeof the form and without making any material change in the size of thewaist.

As stated above my invention comprehends a. novel waist portion for theform, by which the waist can be readily changed in size withoutaffecting the shape or the size of the hips. I secure this end byproviding the form with an independent waist portion which is hinged tothe hip portion and is movably connected to the bust portion. This waistportion is herein shown as formed in separate sections by the verticaldivisions of the form and I have herein shown one waist section for eachof the hip sections, each waist section being hinged to its hip section.In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the waist sections atthe front of the form are designated 28, these being separated from thebust section's along the division line 27. At the back of the form thewaist sections are designated 80, the sections 28 and SO comprising thewaist portion of the form. These sections 28 and 30 are hinged to thehip sections by suitable hinges 29 which permit the waist sections toswing out or in, relative to the hip sections. The waist sections 28 and30 will be connected to the sections directly above them in any suitableway as by means of the slotted connecting members 7 shown in Fig. 1, Ifdesired I may make the connection between the hinges 29 and one of thesections'to which they are connected, an adjustable connection. In theillustrated embodiment of the invention. each hinge is adjustablyconnected to the waist section and for this purpose the hinges areslotted as at'31 and the waist sections are connected to the slottedends of the hinges by clamping screws 32. By making the dress form withthe independent waist sections which are hinged to the hip sections, itis possible to enlarge or contract the form at the waist withoutdistorting the form either at the hips or at the bust. The dotted linesin Fig. 2 show clearly how this may be done for if it is desired toexpand the waist without changing the size of the hips, the waistsections can be moved into the dotted line position, Fig. 2 to effectthe desired enlargement of the waist without changing the size of theform at the hips, the hinged connection between the waist and hipspermitting this.

The hip sections 6 each have secured to the lower end thereof a basepiece, preferably of wood, and these base pieces are detachablyconnected together by the mechanism shown in Fig. 6. These base piecesare designated 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40, respectively. Theadjustable connection between said base pieces comprises two slottedclamping plates or straps 41 and 42, each pivotally mounted on thecentral supporting member 9, and the y slotted clamping plates or straps43, 4 1. The clamping plate 41 is adjustably connected to the two basepieces 39 and 3:"), respectively, by means of suitable clamping screws45, which also extend through and clamp the plates or straps 4:3, 44:;the plate or strap (L2 is adjustably connected with the base pieces 34:,38 by clamping screws 45 which also extend through the slots in thestraps 4.3 and 44; the clamping plate 4.3 is connected to the basepieces 33 and 36 by other clamping screws 164:, and the clamping plate44: is connected to the base pieces 87, 40 by similar clamping screws164, all of said clamping screws extending through the slots in theplates. This construction permits the hip sections to be readilyadjusted to different sizes and shapes, as will be obvious.

In order to preserve proper form at the hips when the sections areexpanded, I employ steadying pins 47 in the base pieces which enter andplay in the slots of the clamping members 43 and 44;, these steadyingpins holding said clamping plates 43, 4.4 in proper position andprevmiting the sections of the form from being twisted or thrown out ofalinement as they are opened out away from each other.

When the waist is expanded without expanding the hip, the hip sections 6assume different positions relative to the vertical, as shown in dottedlines Fig. 2. In order to permit them to be thus thrown into differentvertical positions without throwing the base pieces out of alinement, Ihave provided a flexible connection between each hip section and itsbase piece. As herein shown each hip section is provided with a verticalslot 50 through which passes a clamping screw 51 that screws into thecorresponding base piece. The edges of the base pieces are rounded. andthis connection forms a su'l'liciently flexible one to permit thesections 6 to be moved from the :l'ull to the dotted line position Fig.2 without bringing any appreciable strain on the base pieces. It desiredI may embed a. metal slotted plate 56 in each section to form. a bearingfor the screws 5.1.

My invention also includes a novel construction whereby the arm isdetachably sustained by the shoulder and can be swung into ditlerentpositions and will be retained in such positions. As herein shown thebody of the form has secured thereto at the shoulder an arm-supportingplate 60 provided with one or more slots 61. The arm (it; is provided atits shoulder end with two or more fingers 62 adapted to enter the slots61, this construction permitting a ready removal of the arm by simplywithdrawing the lingers from the slots. The supporting plate (50 isrotatably mounted to turn about a horizontal. axis and is constructed tobe trictionally held in anv desired position. This is hereinaccomplished by providing said plate with a clamping screw (33 which isswiveled to the plate and which extends through a centering member (34carried by the body of the dress term. The clamping screw is providedwith a nut 65 so that by adjusting the nut the frictional engagementofthe plate 60 with the centering member 6 can be ad usted, thisconstruction permitting the plate 60 to be turned about the screw 62- asan axis so that the arm 66 can be swung into any desired position.

The friction of the plate 60 with the centering member (ii is sntlicientto hold the arm in the position in whi h it is adjusted.

l have also provided means whereby the arm may be raised or lowered. asshown by the hill and dotted line positions Fig. 7. This is accomplishedby making the fingers 62 rigid with an arm or plate ()8 that is pivotedat one end. as at 67, to the dress form arm 66, and at the other end 95)is pivotally connected to a slide (39 which extends in the direction ot'the length of tl arm and extends longitudinally of the arm. This slide69 is shown in the drawings as extending down through the arm and asterminating at the wrist end of the arm, said slide being provided witha slotted end which embraces a clamping screw 70 sustained by the arm.When the clamping screw 70 is loosened the arm can be swung up and downfrom the full to the dotted line position and vice 'versa, Fig. 7,during which n'n'ivement the slide 69 will have a movementlongitudinally oil. the arm. liy clamping the screw 70 the slide 69 willbe locked to the arm (36 and said arm will thus be held in an adjustedposition. When the plate (30 is turned 90 degrees from the positionshown in Fig. 7 then the movement of the arm on the hinge (37 will bebackward and tor *a rd instead of up and down. hly improrement,therefore, contenu'ilates a construction whereby the arm 66 may be swungbackward or forward and may also be swung up and down and can be readilyheld in any adjusted position. It is desirable that the arms shouldalways be situated centrally oi the shoulder when the shoulder of thetorm is expanded from front to rear. and to permit this to be done llconi'iect one end (it the centering nien'iber lit to the trout hall" olthe term, and the other end o't said centering member to the rear haltot' the term, so that when the trout and rear halves are separated togive more thickness to the shoulder. the centering member will maintainits central position.

In the present embodiment said centering plate is pivoted at its upperend, as at 71, to a plate 73 which. is detachably secured to the rearshoulder section 2 by screws 7%, and the lower end of said centeringmember is slotted, as at 72, and embraces a pin or stud 75 extendingfrom the front shoulder section. "With this arrangement it will bereadily observed that as the front and rear shoulder sections are movedtoward or from each other tovary the size of the form the portion of thecentering member through which the swivel screw 63 extends will bemaintained at approximately the central portion of the arm-scye so thatthe arm will not be thrown out of its proper position by the expansionor contraction of the form.

I have shown a collar 81 on the lower end of the central supportingmember 9 which holds said member from upward movement.

82 designates a slotted link which may be used to tie together adjacentsections of the form. This link embraces the clamping screws 8 and whensaid screws are tightened up after the form is adjusted, said link willhold the sections properly spaced. The use of the link obviates thenecessity of using a clamping plate 7. With the construction shown inFig. 1, for example, two clamping screws 8 are sufficient to clamp inadjusted position eight form sections.

In Fig. 13 I have shown a construction wherein the hinge connections 290which unite the sections at the waist are pivotally connected to thesections 300 above the divi sion line 27,. as at 91, so that theconnections can swing sidewise, and the leaves 94 of said connectionsare elongated and slotted and overlie the hip sections 6. Clampingscrews adjustably secure the connections to the hip sections.

Havin g thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a dress form, the combination withaplurality of independentlyadjustable neck sections, of a centralsupporting rod extending above said sections, a tubular neck-clampingmember mounted on said rod and adjustable longitudinally thereof, twoclampin elements carried by said tubular member, and by which the necksections are rigidly clamped in adjusted position, and means situatedabove said clamping elements to clamp the tubular member to said rod.

2. In a dress form, the combination with a plurality of neck sections,each having a radially-extending slotted plate, of a cen tral supportingrod extending through the slots of the plates and above the necksections, a tubular neck-clamping member loosely mounted on the rod andalso extending through the slots of said plates, means above the necksections and exterior to the form to clamp said member to the rod in anyadjusted position thereon, and other means to clamp said plates to thetubular member whereby the tubular neck-clamping member may be adjustedvertically on the rod without unclamping the neck sections.

3. In a dress form, the combination with a plurality of neck sections,each having a radially-extending slotted plate, of a central supportingrod extending through the slots of the plates and above the necksections, a tubular screw-threaded neck-clamping member slidably mountedon the rod and also extending through the slots of said plates, saidmember having a clamping shoulder, a clamping nut screw-threaded to saidmemher and adapted to clamp the plates between it and the shoulder, andmeans situated above said nut to clamp said member to the rod in anyadjusted position thereof.

at. The combination with a sectional dress form divided vertically in aplurality of places and divided horizontally slightly above the bustthereby to form bust sections and rear waist sections, said bustsections being sub-divided, and the two parts thereof being pivotallyconnected together, of an adjustable brace connected to the rear waistsections and to the upper portion of the bust sect-ions, a centralsupporting rod, and means for connecting said brace to said rod.

5. In a sectional dress form, the combination with a plurality of formsections adjustable relative to each other, of a central supporting rod,a collar loosely surrounding said rod and free to be movedlongitudinally thereof, a brace extending from front to rear of the formand comprising two overlapping sections, and means to clamp saidsections to said collar.

6. In a dress form, the combination with a body section, of a resilientarm-supporting plate at the shoulder thereof, a bolt extending throughsaid plate and securing it to the body section whereby the plate isfrictionally sustained for turning movement about a horizontal axis, andan arm sustained by the plate.

7. In a dress form, the combination with a body section, of a resilientarm-supporting plate at the shoulder thereof, an arm detachablysupported by said plate, means frictionally and pivotally connectingsaid plate to the body section whereby the plate can be turned about ahorizontal axis extending substantially radially of the form and will befrictionally held in any adj usted position.

8. In a dress form, the combination with a body section of a resilientarm-supporting plate at the shoulder thereof, a bolt extending throughsaid plate and securing it to the body section whereby the plate isfrictionally sustained for turning movement about a horizontal axis, andan arm sustained by the plate and pivotally hung to swing up and down 9.In a dress form, the combination with a body section, of a resilientarm-supporting plate at the shoulder thereof, a bolt ex tending throughsaid plate and securing it to the body section whereby the plate isfrictionally sustained for turning movement about a horizontal axis, anarm detachably sustained. by the plate and pivotally hung to swing upand down, and means to hold the arm in any adjusted position.

10. In a dress form, the combination with a body section, of a resilientarm-supporting plate at the shoulder thereof and provided with twoslots, a bolt extending through said plate and securing it to the bodysection whereby the plate is frictionally sustained for turning movementabout a horizontal axis, and an arm having two fingers pivotallysustained at the upper end thereof, which fingers are adapted to enterthe slots in said plate.

11. In a dress form, the combination with a body section, of a resilientarm-supporting plate at the shoulder thereof, and provided with twoslots, a bolt extending through said plate and securing it to the bodysection whereby the plate is frictionally sustained for turning movementabout a horizontal axis, an arm having a plate pivoted to its upper endand provided with two fingers to enter said slots of the sup portingplate, and a strap 69 connected to said pivotally-sustained plate andadjustably connected to said arm for holding the arm in differentpositions.

12. In a dress form, the combination with a body section, of anarm-supporting plate at the shoulder of the form and provided with twoslots, means to frictionally sustain said plate for turning movementabout a horizontal axis, said means having provision for varying thefriction, an arm having a plate at its upper end provided withdownwardly-directed lingers to enter said slots, and a pivotalconnection between said arm and plate whereby the arm may be swung upand down.

13. In a dress form, the combination with a body portion divided fromside to side to present front and rear halves, of a centering membersustained at the shoulder of the term, means for maintaining saidcenterinomember in central position between the front and rear halves asthey are adjusted toward and from each other, and an arm sustained bythe centering member.

14. In a dress form, the combination with a body portion divided fromside to side to present front and rear halves, of a centering member atthe shoulder of the form and connected at one end to one half and at theother end to the other half whereby said centering member will maintaina central position as the front and rear halves are moved toward andfrom each other, and an arm sustained by said centering plate.

15. In a dress form, the combination with a body section divided fromside to side to present front and rear halves, which are adjustabletoward and trom each other, of a centering member secured at one end tothe rear half at the shoulder of the form and slotted at the other end,a pin or stud carried by the front half of said form and enibraced bythe slot of the centering member, and an arm sustained by said centeringmember.

16. In a dress form, the combination with a body section divided fromside to side to present front and rear halves which are adustable towardand from each other, of a centering member hinged at one endto the rearhalf at the shoulder of the form and slotted at the other end, a pin orstud carried by the front hall of said form and embraced by the slot ofthe centering member, and a plate sustained by the centering member forturning movement about a horizontal axis and an arm carried by theplate.

17. In a sectional dress form, the combination with waist sections ofbase pieces, hip sections hinged to the waist sections and havingrocking engagement with the peripheries oi the base pieces, and meansconnecting each hip section to its base piece which means permits thehip sections to have such rocking engagement.

18. In a sectional dress form, the combina- 00 tion with waistsections,of slotted hip sections hinged thereto, a base piece for eachhip section, and a screw extending through the slot of each hip sectionand into the corresponding base piece.

19. i dress form divided at the waist to constitute a hip portion and abust portion and divided vertically to provide separate sections in boththe hip portion and bust portions, means connecting each section of 110the bust portion to the corresponding section of the hip portion whichpermits the hip and bust sections to be adjusted toward and from eachother thereby to lengthen the waist and the hip sections to have alateral 115 swinging movement relative to the bust sec tions, and meansto hold the lower edge of the hip sections in adjusted position.

.20. The combination with a sectional dress form divided at the waist toconstitute the 12 hip portion and divided vertically to provide separatesections in the hip and bust portions, of means connecting each hipsection to the corresponding bust section which means permits the hipand bust sections to 125 be adjusted vertically relative to each otherand the hip sections to swing laterally relative to the bust sections, abase piece for each hip section, each hip section having rockingengagement with the periphery of its base 13? piece, means connectingthe hip sections to the base pieces which permits of rocking movement,said base pieces being adjustable laterally and means to clamp the basepieces in. adjusted position.

21. In a dress form, the combination with hip sections, of base piecesconnected thereto, two crossing slotted clamping plates pivotallyconnected together and secured to certain of the base pieces, twoparallel slotted clamping plates overlying the crossing plates, clampingscrews securing said parallel clamping plates to other base pieces, andguiding projections other than the screws carried by said other basepieces and entering the slots of the parallel plates.

22. In a sectional dress form, the combination with a plurality ofsections, of slotted clamping straps secured to certain sections andoverlying other sections, clamping screws anchored in said othersections and adjustable in the slots in said straps and a slottedfloating link embracing said screws.

23. In a sectional dress form, the combination with six hip sections,ofa base piece connected to each hip section,two crossing slotted clampingplates pivotally connected together, each clamping plate beingadjustably connected to each of two diametrically opposed base pieces,two parallel slotted clamping plates overlying the crossing plates andclamped thereto, and means for clamping said parallel plates to theother base pieces.

24:. In a dress form, the combination with a plurality of neck sectionseach having a radially extending slotted plate, of. a central supportingrod extending through the slots of the plates and above the neck sec-Lil -A5 tions, a tubular neck-clamping member loosely mounted on the rodand adjustable longitudinally thereof and provided with a clampingshoulder beneath the slotted plates, said tubular neck-clamping memberextending above the plates, means above the neck sections andexterior-to the dress form to clamp the tubular member to the supportingrod in any adjusted position thereon, and other means above the slottedplates to clamp them against said shoulder.

25. A garment form comprising a bust portion, a hip portion, and anindependent waist portion hinged to said hip portion, and means formovably connecting said waist and bustportions.

26. A garment form comprising a bust portion, a hip portion, and anindependent waist portion hinged to said hip portion, means foradjusting the dimensions of said hip and bust portions, and independentmeans for adjusting the dimensions of the lower end of said hip portion.

27. A garment form comprising a plurality of bust sections, a pluralityof waist sections, and a plurality of hip sections hinged to said waistsections, and means carried by said bust sections adapted to slidablyengage said waist sections, whereby said bust sec tions can be adjustedvertically relative to said waist sections.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. UFFORD.

WVitnesses LOUIS C. SMITH, THOMAS, J. DRUMMOND.

Content at this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, n. G.

